Lore Season 2 Review: The Truth Is Much Scarier Than Fiction

"Lore" season 2 recently dropped on Amazon Prime. For those of you that are unaware, It's based on the award winning podcast by the same name from Aaron Mahnke. "Lore" reinacts/discusses various stories from folklore. The scariest part is that the stories are based on true people/events. Eekkk!

Like season 1, season 2 is relatively short (with only 6 episodes total). The voiceovers are now gone in favor or immersing the audience in the story. The horror favor has also been upped.

"Burke and Hare: In The Name Of Science"- One time grave robbers, Burke and Hare made a living supplying bodies for medical dissection. They soon learned that the recently deceased (ie murdered) brought a higher price. Everyone had a price tag above their heads. Accused of killing 16 people, Hart turned states evidence and Burke was hung in 1826. In an interesting twist, Burke's body became the one used for science and it's still on display at Anatomical Museum at the Edinburgh Medical School.
"Elizabeth Bathory: Mirror, Mirror"- Bathory is commonly regarded as the most prolific female serial killer in history. She was a countess in Hungry in the late 1500s and thus above the law. Bathory delighted in torturing peasant girls and their using their blood as part of her beauty regiment. She is believed to have killed between 80 and 650 girls. The officials only intervened after she killed a fellow noble. As punishment, Bathory was walled up in a room and stayed there until her death some four years later.
"Hinterkafeck: Ghosts In The Attic"- In 1922 five members of the Gruber family and their new maid were found brutally murdered on quiet farm in Germany. It appears the killer had been stalking the family for some time. They heard noises in the attic. They saw footprints in the snow leading to the house. A previous maid had quit because she thought the place was haunted. To make things even more bizarre, the killer stayed for several days after the killings and even feed the farm animals. The crime remains unsolved.
Prague Clock: The Curse Of The Orioj"- The Praque Clock was built in 1380 and remains the third oldest astronomical clock in existence. The supposed curse involves the original clockmaker Mikulas who was blinded by the city elders (so he couldnt make any other clocks). As revenge he threw himself into the clock, thus stopping it. Anyone who tried to repair the clock would face madness and death.
Mary Webster: The Witch Of Hadley"- Fear of witches was near it's zenith in Massachusetts in the late 1600s. In 1683. Mary Webster was tried and remarkably acquitted of witchcraft. This didnt stop her neighbors from continuing their accusations. Here poor disposition and isolation from the community didn't help matters. When a prominent citizen became ill they blamed Mary. Several men hung her from a tree. Mary somehow managed to survive that as well and lived another 11 years. Little did she know that 20 people (out of 200 accused) would be executed for witchcraft in nearby Salem some 9 years later.
Jack Parsons: The Devil And The Divine"- My least favorite of the six episodes. I knew the story of Parsons previously but would have been hard pressed to figure out based on the episode what exactly he was trying to do. Parsons was a brilliant man having founded the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and being responsible for the first rockets in space. He also was a big believer in magick and the occult. He was a followers of the Church of Thelema (created by Aleister Crowley). Their tagline was "Do What Thou Wilt". Parsons died at his home during a mysterious explosion. Debate still rages as to it was suicide, murder, or just an accident.

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). "Lore" season 2 is much improved over season one. Gone are the voiceovers and animation (for the most part). The horror factor is amped way up. Even though I knew 4 of the 6 stories beforehand, they were still exciting. The production values make each look like a mini movie. I'm anxiously awaiting more episodes.